E/C.12/FIN/CO/7

Finland (CESCR 30-03-2021)

The Committee considered the seventh periodic report of Finland (E/C.12/FIN/7) at its 5th, 7th and 8th meetings (see E/C.12/2021/SR.5, 7 and 8), held virtually for the first time due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, on 17–19 February 2021, and adopted the present concluding observations at its 27th meeting, held on 5 March 2021.

Concluding observations

C. Principal subjects of concern and recommendations

Homelessness

38. The Committee notes that programmes implemented by the State party in 2018 and 2019 have reduced long-term homelessness by nearly 50 per cent. At the same time, the Committee notes with concern the lack of measures targeted at the prevention of homelessness among certain groups, such as former inmates (art. 11).
39. The Committee recommends that , as a priority, durable solutions be sought for homeless persons. It also recommends that the State party prevent homelessness by, among other things:                                       

(b) Enabling social support and ensuring that housing and rental agencies do not engage in practices that discriminate against groups such as persons with poor or no credit history, former inmates and those who have served community sentences, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons, and migrants.  

Right to education

46. The Committee notes with concern the findings of the school health survey highlighting poorer educational outcomes and bullying at school of pupils of migrant origin, children with disabilities, children in alternative care and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex pupils. The Committee is also concerned that Roma pupils continue to experience discriminatory attitudes at school, report higher dropout rates, and are often de facto schooled in segregated classes, in spite of the State party’s philosophy of inclusion in the education system (arts. 13 and 14).
47. Recalling that bullying and discrimination are impediments to the enjoyment of the right to education, the Committee recommends that the State party incorporate the promotion of understanding and tolerance as well as prohibition of discrimination in school curricula , and that it provide the necessary training thereon, including on the provisions of the Non-Discrimination Act and the Act on Equality between Women and Men, to teaching personnel. It also recommends that the State party monitor the effectiveness of the Programme for the Prevention of Discrimination and Bullying in School that it is implementing. Moreover, t he Committee reiterates the recommendation in its previous concluding observations , urging the State party to ensure equal access to inclusive education for all children , including children with a migrant background and Roma children. Furthermore, it recommends that the State party address the socioeconomic root causes of dropping out of school and that it ensure that delivery systems at all levels of education respond to the needs of students from different social and cultural backgrounds.